Chapter Text
Stiles reaches his chubby hand across the table to grab another cookie. The powdered sugar falls off the round sweet and dusts the table cloth. He shoves it in his mouth and munches happily as his mom gently wipes his mouth.
This is his happy place- his mom’s monthly ladies’ tea party. He doesn’t pay much attention to what the women talk about; he is only four years old after all. He doesn’t play with the little girls who attend either; no matter what his father says. Stiles is just happy to sit and munch on the platters full of cookies and snack cakes. Being able to eat the goodies and be enveloped in the love that is poured out from each woman is heaven on earth.
They all jump as a truck door slams outside. Claudia gently places a kiss on Stiles’ forehead and motions toward the back door. “Why don’t you go out and play with the boys for a little while?”
Stiles whines, but immediately jumps up and rushes out of the room when someone knocks on the door. He hates playing with the boys outside. They pick on him and make him uncomfortable, but he’d much rather be outside than inside right now.
Mary stands and opens the door. “John, how nice to see you.”
The man pushes his way into the house and scans the room for his wife. His eyes land on Claudia, and she smiles. “Well,” he motions toward the door he just came through. “Are you ready?”
She nods. “Just let me get Stiles. He’s outside playing.”
John crosses his arms over his chest. “Sure.”
Claudia stands. “He is.”
“For how long?”
Claudia walks to the back door, “Long enough to be filthy dirty!”
Stiles freezes in the sand box. He immediately jumps up and flails around. Panicking, he runs and faceplants into the nearest mud puddle he can find. Claudia laughs and picks him up. “Isn’t that right, baby? Filthy dirty!”
Stiles giggles and wraps his wet arms around his mother’s neck. “I tried, momma.”
---
The yelling starts about half way home. Stiles turns as far as he can in the car seat and looks out the window. Tries to count the red cars they pass by.
“Don’t f-ing deny it, Claudia!”
“John…”
“You know good and well that he was inside with you the whole time!”
“Most of the time, yes,” Claudia concedes.
“He needs to play with the boys, Claudia. He can’t be coddled by you and your hens all the time.”
“It doesn’t hurt anything, John. He’s four years old.”
“And already the biggest pussy I’ve ever seen! My son’s not going to be gay!”
Stiles tries not to listen. He doesn’t understand what his dad means, but he knows it isn’t good.
“John, honestly…”
“He’s not going back with you. I forbid it.”
Stiles gasps. No, no, no. His cookies. His sweet old ladies and the soft pink tablecloths.
His father turns around at the sound his son makes. He immediately slams on the brakes and pulls to the side of the road. He jerks around in his seat. “And don’t you f-ing cry about it!” the man yells.
Stiles bites his lip and tries his best to hold back his whimpers.
“John, please, you’re scaring him.”
He backhands her across the face and continues yelling at his son, spewing obscenities and threats.
---
“I’m sorry, momma,” Stiles whispers as Claudia bends down to get him out of his booster seat. He blinks back more tears as he looks at the fresh bruises on her face.
“It’s not your fault, baby.”
---
Stiles snuggles against his mom where she lays on his little race car bed, careful not to bump her too hard. She’s been moving slowly, like her sides and tummy hurts.
She kisses Stiles’ forehead and threads her fingers through his short brown hair. “Tell me about your store, baby.”
Stiles smiles. “I want to have lots of cookies. Some like those today. What were they called, momma?”
“Polvorones.”
“Porvon… Povo…”
“Call them wedding cookies.”
“I want to have wedding cookies. And chocolate chip cookies. And sugar cookies with icing.”
“That sounds yummy.”
“It will be my store, but you’ll be there too. I will pay you, and you’ll have money. You can get your car back!”
Claudia hums. “That’s nice, baby. I’ll look forward to it.”
Stiles keeps whispering his ideas for a while. When he notices she has fallen asleep, he decides to push his fingers through her hair to return the favor. He lays there for a while, mind racing like always. He tries not to fidget and move around, but he can’t help it.
“What is it, baby?” his mom whispers, waking up.
He bites his lip, but finally speaks. “What does gay mean, momma?”
She sighs. “Don’t worry about that, honey.”
“But, what does it mean?”
“It means when a boy likes another boy.”
“Oh! I’m definitely not gay, then, momma. I don’t like boys at all! I don’t ever want to play with boys.”
Claudia smiles.
“We can tell dad that I’m not gay, and he’ll like me again.”
Claudia closes her eyes and kisses his forehead.
---
Things get really bad every once and a while. Sometimes the police show up. They usually don’t stay very long, but this time is different. Stiles has locked himself in a closet and won’t come out. It’s been twenty minutes, and he’s still shaking. He doesn’t think he’ll ever forget his father’s words tonight. “If I find out you’re gay, I’ll kill you!”
It was supposed to be a fun day with his mom. They baked cookies, and he chose pink icing.
“If I find out you’re gay, I’ll kill you!”
Stiles jumps when there’s another knock at the closet door.
“Kiddo,” it’s just me out here. “No one’s going to hurt you.”
“I don’t know who you are,” Stiles replies. “Momma said I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
“Did your mom tell you who to go to if you were in trouble?”
“Miss Molly,” Stiles whispers.
“Anybody else?”
“A police officer.”
“Well,” the voice says. “I’m like a police officer. Here, look under the door.”
Stiles looks as a badge is pushed under the door. It’s dark in the closet, but he can see that it’s definitely a badge. He takes a deep breath and stands up to open the door. When he opens the door he sees a man kneeling down looking back at him. His bluish gray eyes look kind. He smiles at him, and Stiles waves back.
“I’m Stiles,” Stiles says as he looks at the ground.
“It’s nice to meet you, Stiles. I’m the Sheriff.” He holds out his hand and waits as Stiles cautiously takes it.
---
It’s two hours later when Claudia finally comes out of the questioning room. Charges are going to be filed this time. She frantically looks around the Sheriff’s Station until her eyes fall on her son. He’s sitting on the Sheriff’s lap in his office. They’re playing with some sort of action figure.
When Stiles sees her he jumps up and runs to her, a smile beaming from ear to ear. “Mr. Noah gave me his badge, momma!” Stiles holds it out to her. “See!!!”
“I see it, baby.” She grabs him and hoists him up on her hip. She smiles at the man walking toward them. “Sheriff…”
“Stilinski, ma’am. Sheriff Stilinski. But, you can call me Noah.” He smiles at her.
“Thank you for all you did. I can never repay you.”